Teenagers lined up and shot at school

THREE teenagers died and another was injured after they were lined up against a wall in a school car park and shot in the head.

A woman, Ofemi Hightower, and two men, Terrance Aeriel and Deshawn Harvey, were killed in Newark New Jersey. Mr Aeriel's 19-year-old sister, Natasha, was in fair condition at a hospital today.

Detectives yesterday said all four were shot in the head at close range at Mount Vernon School.

Their ages are unknown but the victims were from the Newark area and had student identification from Delaware State University.

"Our detectives said they were good kids, they never had any issues with the law," said Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office.

He added: "It's a real tragedy for Newark."

Newark police and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office are investigating the circumstances surrounding the homicides, according to Newark Detective Todd McClendon. Last night no-one had been arrested and investigators were baffled over a motive.

The shootings came on the same day an man was shot dead in the city in an apparent revenge attack.

Police said it was retaliation for an attempt on two people's lives earlier in the morning in the same area.

The killings brought the number of homicides in the city this year to 60, compared with 63 for the same time last year.

The spate of gun violence has residents criticising Cory Booker, the Newark mayor, and the police department.

"They are not keeping us safe. It's appalling that [Booker] will allow bodies to keep falling on the streets of Newark," said Donna Jackson, president of campaign group Take Back Our Streets.